Beauty Standards Quiz

We're often told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which means that what's beautiful to one person may not be beautiful to another. As it turns out, we all have a checklist, and they're all probably pretty similar. Researchers have found that certain people are ranked beautiful across every culture, which suggests that many of us find the same things attractive. But what are these qualities, and do they change over time?

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Question 1 of 10

While curvy, plump women once reigned as the epitome of beauty, many women today feel pressure to be thin. Critics allege that this standard has caused countless eating disorders. How many women in the United States currently struggle with an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia?

5 million

10 million

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, approximately 10 million women -- and 1 million men -- suffer from anorexia and bulimia.

15 million

Question 2 of 10

Pale skin was a must-have for women until which celebrity accidentally got a sunburn?

Rita Hayworth

Audrey Hepburn

Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel is attributed with kick-starting the tanning craze when she came back from a vacation with a sunny glow. For decades, women longing to be beautiful avoided the sun at all costs.

Question 3 of 10

Many women have a lipstick or compact in their purses. Which monarch would disapprove of this practice?

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria publicly declared makeup to be a vulgar thing, used only by prostitutes. During the Victorian era, modesty and simplicity in looks reigned.

King George VI

Question 4 of 10

Which facial feature is thought to be the most important factor in beauty and attractiveness?

lips

eyes

symmetry

It's all about the symmetry -- men and women with symmetrical faces are usually always ranked as most beautiful and attractive in laboratory settings (and real life).

Question 5 of 10

Some scientists posit that we're attracted to people who exhibit "koinophilia." Which of the following words is the best synonym of koinophilia?

average

According to researchers, we seek out "average" looks, which means we want partners who don't have any strange or unique features. We might pursue these average people because we know they have healthy genes as opposed to mutant genes.